Local Flour 'Rises' To National Chain

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The first loaves of 'New York State Baker's Reserve' came out of the oven at the Panera Bread restaurant in Watertown Thursday.

And one of the buyers had a special interest in the bread.

Kevin Richardson declared "the flavor's great, the appearance is great." He could be forgiven for the rave review: the flour used to make 'Baker's Reserve' came from Kevin's 'North Country Farms' mill on Route 37. In turn, the wheat used in the flour was grown at Old McDonald's Farm in Sackets Harbor.

Kevin notes that it's rare a national chain of restaurants will use a local supplier. In this case, Panera is making the bread available in a limited number of its New York state stores for a limited time, and only to 'MyPanera' members.

However, this trial period could lead to bigger things.

"It's gonna be for a limited time right now and then, once it rolls off from there, hopefully it's a good product," said John Dillenbeck, the general manager of the Watertown Panera Bread restaurant, which is on Route 3.

(For more information on the 'MyPanera' program and the specialty breads it offers, look here.)